Ray-Ban Polarized Lenses: Say NO to Glare
To combat excessive brightness, lenses with different degrees of tinting were invented. That was in the past... Today, experts and regular users know that simple brown or green lenses are often not enough to reflect light emitted by surfaces like snow or rivers.
This is exactly why polarized lenses were invented.
What is Polarization?
Thanks to the research of physicists like Fresnel, Young (not the other one =)), Malus, and Maxwell, we now know that light rays are divided into unpolarized and polarized.
The first type is natural light emitted by the Sun, lamps, etc. The rays of such light have no specific direction, their oscillations occur in all directions.
When such unpolarized light hits a long horizontal surface (water, snow, glass), it becomes polarized.
The oscillations of polarized light rays occur only in one direction — perpendicular to the direction of propagation (put simply, when you're skiing, your eyes are positioned perpendicular to the snow, along which the polarized light spreads).
Such light rays are called plane or linearly polarized, and they, cunningly, dazzle by shining directly into the eyes.
Moreover, these rays reduce visual sharpness, make it harder to distinguish colors, and decrease contrast in the image.
Filters to the Rescue
The core of polarized lenses is a film-filter made of crystals arranged at a 90° angle to the reflective surface: for example, if it’s a water surface, polarization happens horizontally, which means the filter must be positioned vertically for maximum effectiveness.
As for applying the filter in optics, there are several technologies for making polarized lenses. The oldest, and thus the most common, is lamination, where the filter film is placed between two plates that form the lens.
Another method is molding: the filter is placed in a mold into which a liquid mixture of monomers is poured. When it solidifies, the film becomes part of the lens, protecting it from delamination in the future.
What do we gain from using polarized lenses? Light rays from horizontal surfaces will be blocked, while rays from other objects, which are not polarized, will pass through the lens, creating a clear image.
Modern Solutions Against Glare
In the 21st century, polarized film filters are used to create plasma TV panels, computer monitors, and various control panels. Compared to these applications, the optical industry may seem less significant, as it uses only 1% of the polarized film produced worldwide.
Nevertheless, polarized lenses are an integral part of today’s sunglasses market. For example, in 2007 alone, their sales in Europe increased by 30%.
It’s important to note that high-quality polarized lenses (such as those from Ray-Ban) must meet the following criteria: high optical performance, well-placed quality film, color uniformity, durable material, strengthening coating, internal anti-reflective coating, and hydrophobic finishing.
To sum up: polarized lenses guarantee high visual quality and comfort compared to non-polarized models.
Today, Ray-Ban offers a wide variety of models with this feature: Predator, Aviator, Clubmaster, Wayfarer, Warrior, Top Bar, Outdoorsman, Active Lifestyle, and many more.
If you’re ready to say NO to glare but don’t know how, we’re here to help =)